diff --git a/docs/compiling.rst b/docs/compiling.rst
index c50c7d8afb..ea8d1ec16f 100644
--- a/docs/compiling.rst
+++ b/docs/compiling.rst
@@ -105,18 +105,14 @@ on the target compiler, falling back to C++11 if C++14 support is not
 available.  Note, however, that this default is subject to change: future
 pybind11 releases are expected to migrate to newer C++ standards as they become
 available.  To override this, the standard flag can be given explicitly in
-``PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD``:
+`CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD <https://cmake.org/cmake/help/v3.17/variable/CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD.html>`_:
 
 .. code-block:: cmake
 
     # Use just one of these:
-    # GCC/clang:
-    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD -std=c++11)
-    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD -std=c++14)
-    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD -std=c++1z) # Experimental C++17 support
-    # MSVC:
-    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD /std:c++14)
-    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD /std:c++latest) # Enables some MSVC C++17 features
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17) # Experimental C++17 support
 
     add_subdirectory(pybind11)  # or find_package(pybind11)
 
diff --git a/tools/pybind11Config.cmake.in b/tools/pybind11Config.cmake.in
index 8a7272ff96..58426887a5 100644
--- a/tools/pybind11Config.cmake.in
+++ b/tools/pybind11Config.cmake.in
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@
 #
 # Python headers, libraries (as needed by platform), and the C++ standard
 # are attached to the target. Set PythonLibsNew variables to influence
-# python detection and PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD (-std=c++11 or -std=c++14) to
-# influence standard setting. ::
+# python detection and CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD (11 or 14) to influence standard
+# setting. ::
 #
 #   find_package(pybind11 CONFIG REQUIRED)
 #   message(STATUS "Found pybind11 v${pybind11_VERSION}: ${pybind11_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
diff --git a/tools/pybind11Tools.cmake b/tools/pybind11Tools.cmake
index 508e47429e..8d85dd4ebb 100644
--- a/tools/pybind11Tools.cmake
+++ b/tools/pybind11Tools.cmake
@@ -18,24 +18,40 @@ find_package(PythonLibsNew ${PYBIND11_PYTHON_VERSION} REQUIRED)
 include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
 include(CMakeParseArguments)
 
+# Use the language standards abstraction if CMake supports it with the current compiler
+if(NOT CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.1)
+  if(NOT CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+    if(CMAKE_CXX14_STANDARD_COMPILE_OPTION)
+      set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+    elseif(CMAKE_CXX11_STANDARD_COMPILE_OPTION)
+      set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
+    endif()
+  endif()
+  if(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+  endif()
+endif()
+
+# Fall back to heuristics 
 if(NOT PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD AND NOT CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
-  if(NOT MSVC)
+  if(MSVC)
+    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD /std:c++14)
+  else()
     check_cxx_compiler_flag("-std=c++14" HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
-
-    if (HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
+    if(HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
       set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD -std=c++14)
     else()
       check_cxx_compiler_flag("-std=c++11" HAS_CPP11_FLAG)
-      if (HAS_CPP11_FLAG)
+      if(HAS_CPP11_FLAG)
         set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD -std=c++11)
-      else()
-        message(FATAL_ERROR "Unsupported compiler -- pybind11 requires C++11 support!")
       endif()
     endif()
-  elseif(MSVC)
-    set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD /std:c++14)
   endif()
 
+  if(NOT PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Unsupported compiler -- pybind11 requires C++11 support!")
+  endif()
   set(PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD ${PYBIND11_CPP_STANDARD} CACHE STRING
       "C++ standard flag, e.g. -std=c++11, -std=c++14, /std:c++14.  Defaults to C++14 mode." FORCE)
 endif()